Purpose: To help classmates be aware of this potentially life threatening cancer.
Thesis statement: Breast cancer can be fatal and has effected millions of people around the world, so it’s important to be knowledgeable when it comes to a health condition that may affect you or your love ones.
Introduction
Guess what month it is? It’s October… Which means that it’s also breast cancer awareness month. Those of us who watch sports during the month of October always see the football players wearing pink, and that’s because of breast cancer.
I’m sure many of us have heard or know someone who’s had breast cancer. I know I have, but I never fully grasped what it really was until my sophomore year of High School when my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time. That’s right, I said “second time. ” The first time, was when I was four years old and I was too young to understand, but the second time I was the one to take care of her. Statistically, “about 1 of 8 women develop breast cancer invasively of her lifetime” stated by breastcancer. org. Breast cancer effects men, but it’s less likely for it to happen to them than women.
Breast cancer is well known by many organizations, and there are a lot of individuals who support this cancer’s research. By analyzing what this cancer is, the symptoms of breast cancer, and how to prevent this from being life threatening, may eventually save your life down the road.
I. What exactly is Breast Cancer?
A. According to Cancer. gov last undated in 2012, breast cancer is a type of “cancer that forms in the tissues of the breast. ”
B. There are different kinds of breast cancer depending on what cell in the breast has turned into cancer. Common types of breast cancer found on the Susan G. Komen website last updated in 2013 are…
B. 1. Ductal carcinoma.
a) Most common kind of breast cancer.
b) Begins in the cells that line the milk ducts.
B. 2. Lobular Carcinoma.
B. 2. a) Also common
B. 2. b) This cancer cell occurs in the lobes or lobules of the breast.
B. 2. c) Lobules are the glands the make the milk
C. As we know, cancer like everything else in our bodies are made up of cells.
C. 1. According to the National breast cancer foundation inc, Normal cells grow and divide to form new cells when they are needed when they get damaged or die, but sometimes that process doesn’t function right.
C. 1. a) If the function of replacing those cells doesn’t preform properly, the cells have either formed new cells that the body didn’t need or the damaged cells don’t die for a new cell to replace it according to cancer. gov.
C. 1. b) The buildup of these cells often forms tissue called a lump, growth or tumor.
D. The most important thing to take from this is, that no matter what if you suspect a lump in your breast, you should get it check out sooner rather than later.
II. How do you know if you have a lump? Are there any symptoms?
A. At first, there may not be any obvious signs of the breast cancer because the lump may be too small to be felt.
B. Regular mammogram screening is the only way that the small lump can actually be detected.
B. 1. Stated by cancer. gov a mammogram is an x-ray of the breast
C. According to the American Cancer Society, any of the following unusual changes in the breast can be a symptom of breast cancer:
C. 1. Swelling of all or part of the breast
C. 2. Skin irritation or dimpling of the skin
C. 3. Breast pain
C. 4. Shape change of the breast.
C. 5. Nipple pain or the nipple turning inward
C. 6. Redness or thickening of the nipple or breast skin
C. 7. Nipple discharge other than breast milk
C. 8. A lump in the underarm area or breast
D. Most often, these symptoms are not due to cancer, but any breast cancer symptom you notice should be investigated as soon as it is discovered.
III. Anyway to prevent this Cancer from being life threating?
A. With early detection through regular mammograms the chances of surviving are greater, because of early detection.
B. Control your weight and exercise by making healthy choices in the food we eat.
C. Research your family history of breast cancer.
D. Nevertheless, limit the amount of alcohol consumed, so that out body can get rid of those damaged cells easier.
E. There are many different options as to what the doctors can do after you’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer so that it doesn’t become life-threatening.
E. 1. According to the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health some common treatments include;
E. 1. a) Surgery
E. 1. a. a.Lumpectomy which is when they just remove the lump from the breast
E. 1. a. b. Mastectomy which is when they remove the breast as a whole which most of the time prevents the cancer from coming back completely.
E. 1. b) Chemotherapy, which uses special medicines, or drugs to shrink or kill the cancer. The drugs can be pills you take or medicines given directly into your veins, or sometimes both.
E. 1. c) Radiation, which is the use of high-energy rays to kill the cancer cells. The rays are aimed at the part of the body where the cancer is located.
F. Overall, this cancer can be very deadly if not caught early, that’s why we have this month of October to remind people to be aware and get checked, so that people don’t lose the ones they love.
Conclusion
Breast cancer is a very popular cancer which we hear about and even see the little pink ribbon on many products at stores. It’s important to know why we are supporting this cancer, and unfortunately it’s because many people get it and like most medical bills it’s expensive to treat. There are many organizations out there that help raise money to help, even if you don’t have healthcare.
Breast cancer if caught early can truly change the difference of your outcomes. I believe that it’s important to know the information about breast cancer, because the more you educate yourself, the better off you will be in the long run. According to cancer. gov as previously cited above, “women over forty years old should get checked every one to two years. ” Especially if someone in your family has been diagnosed with this cancer. I’ve been told by my doctor, that because my mom was diagnosed at a young age of thirty four years old that I should start getting checks at the age of twenty four.
References
- National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. (2012). Retrieved October 20, 2013, from http://www. nationalbreastcancer. org/
- Susan G. Komen. (2013). Retrieved October 20, 2013, from http://ww5. komen. org/BreastCancer/UnderstandingBreastCancer. html
- American Cancer Society. (2013). Retrieved October 20, 2013, from Better Business Bureau website: http://www. cancer. org/healthy/morewaysacshelpsyoustaywell/breastcancer? gclid= CMzg9-X_qboCFUXhQgod9kQAng
- National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health. (2013). Retrieved October 20, 2013, from http://www. cancer. gov/cancertopics/types/breast.